Preaching and Preachers

The Sermon and the Pre(J(;hingethical and philosophical and social and political clubs and societiescan do; butit is not the thing which the preacher is called upon to do.Well what is that? Turning then to the positive side, and using thisanalogy of Peter and John with the man at the Beautiful Gate of theTemple, what is the message? It is, 'such as I have'. I have not got theother, that is not my province, it is not my business; I am not competentto do that. But 'such as I have'. I have got something; somethinghas been given to me, something has been committed to me, Ihave a commission-'such as I have give I thee'.The way in which the Apostle Paul puts that is, 'I delivered untoyou first of allthat which I also received.' That is what determines themessage or the sermon as such; it is that which the preacher hasreceived. The other term used by Paul-'ambassador'-brings it outvery clearly. An ambassador is not a man who voices his own thoughtsor his own opinions or views, or his own desires. The very essence ofthe position of the ambassador is that he is a man who has been 'sent'to speak for somebody else. He is the speaker for his Government orhis President or his King or Emperor, or whatever form of governmenthis country may have. He is not a man who speculates andgives his own views and ideas. He is the bearer of a message, heis commissioned to do this, he is sent to do this; and that is what hemust do.In other words, the content of the sermon is what is called in theNew Testament 'The Word'. 'Preach the word', or 'preach the Gospel',or 'the whole counsel of God.' That being interpreted means themessage of the Bible, the message of the Scriptures.What is the message? Itis that 'such as I have', it is limited to that.This is what I have received, this is what I possess-'such as I have'.I have received this, it has been handed to me. I do not bring my ownthoughts and ideas, I do not just tell people what I think or surmise:I deliver to them what has been given to me. I have been given it, andI give it to them. I am a vehicle, I am a channel, I am an instrument,I am a representative.That then is the essential message. But obviously this is something61